A candidate vying for the position of superintendent in the Barbieland School District, where former Superintendent Ken Carson failed after eight years at the post to improve student outcomes while creating a toxic school environment, appears before the public and the board of education and she (of course) lays out her plan for the district. 

She states that although she has no district leadership experience, she believes that listening to the folks in the trenches; principals, teachers, students, parents, and district partners, is vital to student success.  Therefore, she plans on giving each school a level of autonomy whereby the folks in the trenches will create their own school improvement plan based on their individual wants, needs, and desires.

You’re not in Barbieland anymore.  You are in Hartford, where Superintendent Torres-Rodriguez, who stated 8 years ago that she understood what schools in Hartford need to be successful, is only now proposing a similar school improvement plan at Hartford Public Schools, which one would have expected to hear from a rookie superintendent in year one, not year eight.

Probably at the urging of one of her go-to consultant groups (ESS, TNTP, Attuned, etc.), Torres-Rodriguez announced at the Board of Education’s Teaching & Learning Committee (where teachers are never invited to offer their from-the-trenches expertise and insight) that the district is about to make a shift in how individual schools and central office work together to further student outcomes:  she will now listen to folks in the schools!

The Superintendent’s innovative new plan (and apparent improved auditory perception) calls for each school to create their own “Plans for School Excellence and Accountability” (PSEA), which is replacing the Superintendent’s previous plan known as the “School Improvement Plan” (SIP), which apparently failed and didn’t have key rhetorical words in its title.

Under the PSEA, schools will develop objectives targeting areas most impacting student outcomes.  The Superintendent stated that these objectives must be “new or improved,” like listening, I suppose.  In turn, each department in central office will be creating “Plans for Department Excellence and Accountability” (PDEA), which is supposed to guide collaboration between the folks in the high tower and those in the schools.  The PDEAs will not make mandates on the PSEAs, it will be, said Deputy Superintendent Paul Foster, a “collaboration,” but they will be known as the home team at the annual softball game.

To create these PSEAs, each school will have a “School Empowerment Team” (SET), the use of the word “empowerment” to induce a positive, get-on-board psychological vibe throughout the district.  Hooya!

Each SET will have “school-based members” chosen by the principal and “school leadership team.”  Mr. Foster said the SETs could also include students, family members, or “partners.”  Neither the Superintendent nor her capable and trusted Deputy uttered the word “teacher” when speaking of SET membership.  

Also seated on each SET will be a member of the Office of Talent and Management (great) and a member of the Finance office, but don’t let those central office folks influence your discussions, speak freely, it’s a bold new world at HPS.  Empowerment.

According to the Superintendent, as a result of each school developing and implementing a PSEA, the district will see increases in student assessment scores (SBAC and SAT), there will be positive effects on the culture and climate of each school, families will be participating in more school events, there will be more internship opportunities (I didn’t understand this one), and there will be a stronger more positive relationship between schools and central office.  It’ll be like Barbieland!

There were 12 folks present at this meeting ready to offer input and insight on the Superintendent’s latest plan, not one was a principal, assistant principal, teacher, or student.  But, there was in attendance a Ms. Iris Gomero, Assistant Superintendent of Human Capital and Talent Development from Manchester Public Schools, who is “shadowing” Torres-Rodriguez as part of her obtaining her superintendent certification, which is like having a member of the Young Republicans shadow Donald Trump for political leadership certification.